Ghost Games Shows Off 'Need For Speed: Payback' Story Trailer, Speedlists

It’s sometimes hard to notice, but underneath all of the action and excitement in a Need for Speed game lies a story campaign. Ghost Games released a trailer that provided another peek at the game’s characters, and revealed more information about the title's multiplayer gameplay.

The story centers around a trio of characters collectively known as “The Crew.” The group’s leader, Tyler Ramirez, recently acquired a special car through a race. However, it was stolen by The House, the ruling group in Fortune Valley. By recruiting two other racers, Sean McAlister and Jessica Miller, Ramirez forms The Crew to get back at those who wronged him. Throughout the game, you’ll play as each of the three characters while also filling your virtual garage with a plethora of cars.

Aside from the single-player content, you’ll have plenty of races where you can use the leaderboards to compare your performance against other players. You can also participate in races against other drivers in a mode called Speedlists. The online mode was introduced in the 2015 Need for Speed game, and it consists of five predetermined events. Points are awarded based on your position after each race, and the driver with the most points wins the match.

The Speedlist in Need for Speed: Payback is nearly the same in terms of mechanics, although it has some improvements. You can now vote for the next event, and those on the bottom half of the points bracket will have more say in what to do next. This allows them to get a chance to contend for the top spot in the match. Matchmaking is also different now. Before you enter a lobby, you’ll need to select one road and off-road car to use in the Speedlist. From there the system will look at your chosen vehicles and it will pit you against other players with cars of a similar performance level.

For a tougher challenge, you can enter Ranked play (as opposed to the traditional Casual Speedlist races) where you can rise up the 16 ranks and earn the title of Legend. Participating in Speedlists will earn you credits, reputation points, and performance parts, and winning the match will give you an even better chance at getting more money and higher quality parts.